Trunk mantle



April 18, 1939. F. 1 HOLTZMAN 2,154,750

TRUNK MANTLE Filed March 3l, 1956 ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to trunk mantles and has for an object to provide a device for mantling an open wardrobe trunk so that a traveller may keep his trunk open and yet conceal the contents of the trunk.

A further object of the invention is to provide atrunk mantle comprising a shelf portion with a flat top adapted to be fitted over the usual bulged top of a wardrobe trunk, said shelf being provided with means for supporting a curtain to cover the open face of the trunk. Y

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a shelf of the character described which will be ex pansible to t different sizes of trunks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf made of telescoping sections or panels so that theshelf may be` collapsed to form a small package for transportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf composed of a pair of panels which may be separated and then connected side by side to form a lapboard, gameboard, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a board with legs soas to convert the device into a card table.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment' and thereafter the novelty and scope ofthe invention will be pointed out in the claims. v Y

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation ofY the trunk mantleappliecl to a Wardrobe trunk;

Fig'. 2 is a View in verticall section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view'showing the panels of the mantle shelf inverted and assembled side by side to form a gameboard;

' Fig. 4 is a view in perspective, looking upwardly 40 at one of the shelf panels;

Fig, 5 isa View in perspective of the device as sembled, to form a table;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental View showing details of acurtain rod; Y

'L-'l of Fig. 5, and showing means for attaching a table leg-at one side ofthetop;

Fig. 8 is a View in section taken on the line 5 8--8 of Fig. 5, showing means for connecting the panels at the opposite side of the table top, and means for connecting a leg to the table top at the latter side;

Fig, 9 is a View in section taken on the line 9--9 55 of Fig. 5, showing the interlocking of curtain rod Fig. .7 isa view'in section-taken on the linev brackets when the panels are connected to form a table top ;v and v 10 is a View in perspective of the mantle combination folded up and packed in a case for transportation.

As explained above, the trunk mantle combina,- tion comprises a shelf portion and a depending curtain portieri. The shelf comprises a pair of paneis l5 and il?, respectively, each formed of sheet material, preferably light weight sheet metal. Each panel comprises a top wall Hi with a depending marginal wall I 8 at the front of the panel, another depending marginal wall 20 at the rear of the panel anda depending marginal wall 2l at the cuter end of the panel. The walls 20 and 2l are formed with inturned anges 22 and respectively, with flange 23 overlapping ange 22. Both of the panels I5 and l5 are alike eX- cept that one is reversed end for end with respect to the other and is of slightly smaller dimensions so that it can telescope within the other.

A Wardrobe trunk 25v is shown in Figs. l and 2 comprising two sections hinged together. One of the sections is fittedk with hangers 26 for clothes and the other is provided with drawers 2'?. The trunk is provided with the usual hulged top 28 rising from a dat margin 29. The shelf is laid upon the top of the trunk with the ianges 22 and 23 of the panels resting on the flat margin 2S and with the front wall I9'of the panels overlapping the front face of the trunk sections. The depthcf the walls 2!! andZl is such as to provide clearance for thebulge 28.

Secured to the end walls 2! are brackets 32 and 33., respectively, which project beyond the front wails i 9, These brackets are apertured to receive a curtain rod As shown in Fig. 6, this curtain rod is of hollow stock and is formed of two sections one of which has a plug 35 fixed thereto and projecting therefrom and adapted to be threaded into 'the adjacent end of the other section to connect the sections together. The outer end of' each section is prcvided with a knob 35. In applying the curtain rod the two sections are passed through the apertures in the brackets 32 and 33,.respectively, and then are screwed together. Supported on the curtain rod is a pair of' 'curtains 3'! which hang vover the front face of the two sections of the trunk.

When the device is not in use the curtain rod may be separated intoits two sections and the panels may be telescoped together with the curtains folded up within the panels and the curtain rods also placed diagonally within the panels.

flange 41.

'g removed and also the channel 42.

In this way the device may be folded up into a convenient small package.

The shelf is also arranged so that when not used as a trunk mantle it may be made up into a lapboard or into a card table. To this end the panels are drawn apart and then are placed side by side, with the walls I9 of the panels contacting. In this position the brackets 32 and 33 are arranged to interlock, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 9. The bracket 33 is spaced from the wall I9 of the panel. to which it is secured, by means of a plate 39 formed with a notch 40 therein, thereby providing a socket to receive the projecting end.

of the other bracket 32.

The open ends of the panels, that is, the ends opposite walls 2|, are connected by a channelshaped member 42 which is of such form as to fit snugly between the flanges 22 and the top walls I8. The channel 42 is formed with a slot 43 in one wall thereof to receive the ends of walls I9. In this way, by means of the interlocking brackets and the channel member 42 the panels are connect-ed side by side. Fig. 3 shows the board thus formed, but in inverted position. The inner face of the walls I8 may be suitably printed or marked for playing games requiring theuse of dice, such, for instance, as backgammon. The board may be inverted from the position shown in Fig. 3 to serve as a lapboard. The obverse face of the board may be printed or otherwise marked to form a chess or checker board, as indicated at 44, in Fig. 5.

The board may be converted into a table by attaching legs 45 thereto. These legs are preferably made of sheet metal bent to angle form in cross-section. The legs may be all of the same shape but are differently attached to the table at opposite sides thereof. Each leg is formed with an upstanding end portion 46 and a transverse The flange 41, as shown in Fig. 7, may be fitted into a slot 48 formed between the overlap of end flanges 23 on side flanges 22. At the opposite side of the table, straps 49 are struck up from the anges 22 to receive the leg flanges v; 41, as shown in Fig. 8. In this Way the table top is very conveniently mounted on legs, and the legs are braced by the extensions 46 which bear against the marginal walls of the table top.

For transportation purposes the legs 45 are The panels are then telescoped as described above and the legs and channel are packed therewithin. The device may then be fitted into a casing 5D of suitable material, as shown in Fig. 10, so that it ;may be conveniently carried.

While I have described a preferred embodiment it will be understood that this is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative of my invention, and that I reserve the right to make -5 various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts, without departing from the walls being each provided at its lower margin with an inturned flange paralleling the top wall of the section so as to provide broad bearing surfaces for the shelf, said sections being so relatively proportioned that one may slide endwise with a snug iit within the other to form a longitudinally extensible and contractible shelf, and means for securing the sections side by side with said front walls contiguous so as to form a broad shelf, said means including a tongue projecting from said outer end wall of one of the sections and a socket member for the tongue secured to said outer end wall of the other section.

2. A shelf of' the character described, comprising a pair of inverted pan-like sections each comprising a top wall with downturned marginal walls disposed respectively at the front, rear and outer end of the section, said rear and outer end walls being each provided at its lower margin with an inturned flange paralleling the top wall of the section so as to provide broad bearing surfaces for the shelf, said sections being so relatively proportioned that one may slide endwise with a snug t within the other to form a longitudinally extensible andcontractible shelf, and an apertured tongue on the outer end wall of each section projecting beyond the front wall thereof whereby the tongues will serve as curtain brackets, said sections being also adapted to be secured side by side With said front walls contiguous so as to provide a broad shelf, one of the tongues being offset from the side wall to which it is connected and forming a socket therewith to receive the tongue of the other section when the sections are disposed in such side by side position.

3. A shelf of the character described, comprising a pair of elongated inverted pan-like sections each comprising a top wall with downturned marginal walls disposed respectively at the front, rear and outer end of the section, said rear and outer end walls being each provided at its lower margin with an inturned flange paralleling the top wall of the section so as to provide broad bearing surfaces for the shelf, means for connecting the sections side by side with their front .walls contiguous so as to form a broad shelf, said means at one end of the shelf comprising a tongue on said outer end wall of each section and projecting beyond the front wall thereof, one tongue being offset from the wall to which it is connected and forming therewith a socket to receive the tongue of the other section, said means at the other end of the shelf comprising a channel shaped member adapted to t at opposite ends thereof between the top walls and rear wall flanges of the sections, said channel member being slotted at a median point to receive the ends of said contiguous front walls, said sections being so relatively proportioned that one section may slide endwise with a snug t within the other to form an elongated shelf longitudinally extensible and contractible at will, the tongues being apertured so as to serve as curtain rod brackets for the shelf when the sections are disposedvin such endwise sliding position.

FLORENCE LEE HOL'IZMAN. 

